Farzaneh Pahlavan

Sex-specific effects of sociocultural changing on aggression: fact or artefact?

Abstract Currently popular is the idea that men are more aggressive and perform more acts of physical aggression than do women. In this article, we examine sex differences in aggression by analyzing the existing literature, stressing the growing utility of analyzing these behaviours using a multidimensional approach taking into account the larger sociocultural context. This will allow us to examine the major controversies surrounding sex differences in aggression. Finally, having revealed some challenging questions regarding limitations in data and methodologies used specially in terms of the sociocultural changes, we propose to explore sex differences in aggression based on the folk theory of aggression.

Traits émotionnels, intelligence émotionnelle : intérêt de ces concepts et étude de leurs interrelations

RésuméLes travaux de la décennte passée sur des traits de personnalité indiquent qu’il existe une série de traits émotionnels sur lesquels les individus diffèrent. Par ailleurs, d’autres recherches ont montré l’existence d’aptitudes spécifiques au traitement des émotions et de l’information émotionnelle, regroupés sous le concept d’intelligence émotionnelle. Cent adultes agés de 20 à 50 ans ont fait la passation des adaptations françaises des mesures de traits émotionnels et d’intelligence émotionnelle. Notre étude montre la fiabilité et le pouvoir discriminant de l’adaptation de ces mesures ainsi que l’existence d’interrelations entre ces caractéristiques émotionnelles stables. Une analyse factorielle en composante principale avec rotation varimax met en valeur l’existence de cinq facteurs que nous identifions comme les dimensions Clairvoyance. Richesse émotionnelle. Identification, Compréhension et Maîtrise des émotions. Les profils émotionnels moyens construits à partir de ces cinq facteurs diffèrent en fonction du sexe et de l’âge. Nous observons notamment une plus grande richesse émotionnelle chez les femmes et chez les personnes les plus âgés de notre échantillon L’étude de ces facteurs permettra de mieux comprendre les relations entre ces aspects émotionnels et les performances cognitives ainsi que leurs implications dans des syndromes cliniques.AbstractStudies on personality traits conducted during the past decade indicate that there is a set of emotion-related traits on which individuals differ. Moreover, other studies showed that there are some abilities related to the processing of both emotions and emotional information, referred to as the concept of emotional intelligence. The authors of the article evaluated one hundred adults (ranging in age from 20–50) using the French version of a series of scales to measure stable emotionrelated traits and emotional intelligence. The results showed that these instruments provide accurate internal consistency and reliability, and that there are significant relationships between the individual emotional characteristics observed. A factorial analysis conducted with varimax rotation underlined five primary factors identified as: Clear-sightedness of emotions, Emotional richness, Identification, Understanding and Emotional control. The average emotional profiles based on these five primary factors depend on gender and age. In particular, the female and the oldest participants showed a greater emotional richness. The examination of these five factors should lead to a better understanding of the relationships which exist between these emotional characteristics and cognitive performances, and their involvement in clinical syndromes.

Does Experience of Failure Decrease Executive, Regulatory Abilities and Increase Aggression?

Recent advances in the study of affective-cognitive regulation of aggressive behavior suggest positive correlations between poor executive capacities (ECF) and dispositional negative reactivity (Posner & Rothbart, 2000). If the global assumption is correct what are the likely implications of predicted relation? The central issue in present research was to verify this assumption and examine how situational characteristics could alter executive performance in persons with Dysexecutive Syndrome (DES, Baddeley, 1998) and healthy adults (students, health workers) to explore some of the consequences of those modifications for aggressive tendencies. Precisely, we expected the positive correlations between poor executive performances and high aggressive tendencies at dispositional as well situational levels, except for health workers, given their professional duties. In order to assess cognitive capacities and dispositional as well as situational aggressive tendencies, during two studies (First study: N=60 students; Second study: N= 60 students, N= 24 patient with Dysexecutive Syndrome, N= 45 health care workers) right-handed French-speakers participants completed twice, during an initial phase of the study and one week after, a series of standard executive functions neuropsychological tests and aggression questionnaires. During second phase, participants executed a task introducing the experimental feedbacks (success, neutral, failure) before completion of neuropsychological tests and questionnaires. The results provided evidence of a dispositional relationship between poor executive functioning and aggressive tendencies, and extended it to situational level. For all participants, it showed that increases in impulsiveness (negative emotionality and aggressive choices) due to a negative feedback were concomitant with an inability to focus individuals’ attention on ongoing tasks.

Direction of human motor responses by men and women to aversive stimulation.

The frequency of extensions and flexions of the arms of 12 men and 12 women (ages 20–30 years) responding to a neutral tone or to an electric shock was recorded. Subjects had to choose between pushing or pulling a lever upon receipt of an acoustic signal which was paired or unpaired with an electric shock. They were instructed to perform either long duration movements, allowing for on-line control of the execution, or short duration movements with prior specification of amplitude. Regardless of duration of movements, the aversive signal increased the frequency of extensions and intraindividual variability of choices of the men but decreased the frequency of extensions and intraindividual variability of choices of the women. These findings show that stimuli such as pain or fear automatically elicit patterns of terminal motor states corresponding to fight or flight, initiating processes of preparation of spatially oriented movements which are automatic and sex-typed and impair the use of the terminal cues for simultaneous preprogrammed voluntary movements.

Third parties belief in a just world and secondary victimization.

This commentary focuses on how third parties impact the course of acts of revenge based on their world views, such as belief in a just world. Assuming this belief to be true, the following questions could be asked: (a) What are the consequences of a third party’s worldview in terms of secondary victimization? (b) Are bystanders actually aware of these consequences? (c) If so, then why do they let it happens?